How to Stay Healthy on Vacation
Knowing how to stay healthy can make a big difference between an enjoyable vacation and a forgettable one. While you may usually worry about natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis while vacationing in a faraway place, you must be on guard for various infectious diseases and other discomforts that may ruin your trip. Here are some tips if you want to stay healthy and enjoy your much awaited vacation:
Schedule an appointment with your doctor.
You should receive appropriate vaccines depending on your destination six weeks prior to your departure. The time allowance is important since you need immunity to develop. Also, some shots may require an extended period of over a few days or weeks since they may be registered in series.
If you are traveling with your kids, better consult your pediatrician, especially if they will be needing extra immunizations. Prepare a summary of your medical history and the name and contact information of your doctor.
Go through your health coverage to make sure you are fully protected especially if you are traveling overseas.
You should also ask your doctor on what you need to put in your health travel kit. It should include anti-diarrheal medications, prescriptions, antacids, insecticide spray or lotions, laxatives, sunscreen, cotton and band-aids.
Protect yourself from the sun.
Getting a tan while sunbathing in a paradise resort can be satisfying but too much sun may result in skin cancer. To avoid the damaging effects of the sun to your skin, take precautionary measures such as avoiding the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure so your body can absorb it.
Stay healthy at the dinner table.
Before stuffing your mouth with any type of food, you should remember to wash your hands with soap and water properly to avoid various diseases (Learn how to wash your hands). When eating, ask questions first regarding what food you’ll be consuming.
Make sure to eat only cooked foods and peeled fruits and vegetables. You should also avoid street-vendor delicacies as much as possible unless you are sure your stomach can handle it. It is best to drink bottled or boiled water and to stay away from tap water or drinks with ice.
Also avoid temptation especially if you are on an airplane. You don’t have to eat anything that’s being given for free such as those sugary cookies and addicting peanuts. If you can, pack some food ahead of time like healthy sandwiches.
If you come across with some local desserts, try to minimize the damage by picking healthy alternatives like fruit and cheese platters. If you can, pick **** over **** or a mixed drink so you can manage the hangover easily. Also, shy away from fried foods such as those offered by fast food chains.
Cure your motion sickness.
This type of discomfort is prevalent when traveling to faraway places, especially in fast moving vehicles. If you know you’ll be sailing on rough waters or you’ll be flying to your destination on a stormy afternoon, make sure to avoid eating heavily since excess food in your stomach can increase the feeling of motion. Keep your eyes on the horizon and get fresh air whenever possible. Ginger can be taken in as a pill or candy to help treat motion sickness.
Don’t forget to exercise.
Most hotels have gyms with basic equipment. If you’d like to stay in your room, you can do some exercises without any equipment at all. Do regular situps, pushups, squats and jumping jacks.
You can also opt to walk around town and see the many different cultures in your surroundings. This way, you can maximize your time while exercising at the same time.
Get some sleep.
You can get a lot more done once you are fully rested. Try to drop everything once it’s bedtime already. Avoid staying too late watching television since you can do that at home. If it’s a long trip, you can take a series of naps to re-energize.
Stay healthy while traveling by following the tips above. Make the right decisions by being prepared and disciplined in maintaining your healthy lifestyle even while on a vacation.